The shot that doesn’t kill
The controversial topic of the season
Flu Needle Package
It’s that time of year again, and the school’s dwindling supply of tissues is at an all-time low. It has been advised by many to go out and get the annually dreaded shot. Yes, the flu shot. While this may be one of the only types of shots that doesn’t kill, does it do any good? Many students at West High got the flu shot this year, but also complain that they still get sick.
Whether or not the flu shot works has been a controversial topic for many years, but doctors and physicians still recommend that you get one. “Just because we get sick with a fever, headache, body aches and a terrible cough that hangs on for weeks after getting vaccinated, it doesn’t mean the vaccine made us sick,” the National Vaccine Information Center stated in an article. Many people get sick after getting vaccinated, but this is just a coincidence; that “correlation does not equal causation,” according to an article written by the CDC.
Even though the flu shot may not always work, and is, “kind of a crap shoot,” Maureen Head, Foundations of Science III, and Biology teacher stated, many people at West still get it. Head hasn’t gotten the flu since her first year of teaching, and didn’t feel the need to get a shot this year, because she isn’t concerned with being sick. This year, 44% of students surveyed got the flu vaccination. Byron Butler, Biology teacher who also didn’t get the flu shot this year, thinks the flu shot isn’t very consistent. “Year to year, some years work better than others, and some years don’t,” Butler said.
Many of the students that fell in the 36% of not getting a shot, all had different reasons for not getting the vaccination, but one story seemed to be the most recurring: the one time they got the vaccination, they got sick. Is this really just coincidence? Maddie Houser, ‘18 has gotten the flu shot every year for awhile now, but this year, she didn’t. “I’ve gotten the shot every year, and it has never worked,” Houser said. She is one of the many that has gotten sick after getting the vaccination. This could be one of the leading reasons for people not getting the vaccine.
While some predicted that the number of people getting vaccinated would decline without the nose mist, surveys showed that not many people actually got the nose mist to begin with here at West High. This year, the nasal vaccine was declared to not be effective and so the use of it was discouraged. For the people who fear a needle piercing their skin, this was a good alternative, and was met with some disappointment when most doctors decided to discontinue it.
With or without the nasal vaccine though, the flu is still a virus, and even if it doesn’t always work, it’s not a bad idea to get one. “I’ve always believed in stopping problems before they occur,” Becky Halbur, Pharmacist at Care-Pro Pharmacy in North Liberty said after giving the vaccine. Halbur believes that everybody should get the vaccination because it solves the problem before it starts. “The shot is painless and quick, and it reduces your chances of getting the flu,” Halbur stated.
If people think that getting the vaccine has positive effects, should West High be doing more to make it available, or even go as far as make it required to get? Most people answered no. “I don’t think there is enough evidence that really shows that [the flu vaccine] will drastically reduce the number [of people getting the flu],” Head said.
Other students think that it should be up to the student, because most people have a reason for not getting one, whether it be past experiences, or family beliefs. “I think it should just be a personal preference,” Mackenzie Bonner,’17 stated. Bonner can relate to this topic because of one incident all the way back in elementary school, when she caught not only the ‘normal’ flu that was going around that year, but the stomach flu at the same time. She hasn’t caught the flu since, and has stayed clear from the flu vaccine. Travis Henderson, American Studies and AP Psychology teacher at West High, thinks that the flu shot should be required for both teachers and students, but understands that there are issues that could get in the way of this.
Everybody has different reactions, but it never hurts to protect yourself from a virus that could, and has been, deadly. “If you’re asking me if I think vaccinations are a good idea, then yeah, I think they are a good idea,” Butler said. Don’t be fooled though with a common myth; that flu season only occurs in the fall. While it is true that the start of school is the perfect invitation for the virus, with everybody’s germs congested into one building, flu season doesn’t peak until at least December. With the end of November nearing, and a month that is predicted to bring on the worst the flu has to offer for the year just around the corner, it is still not too late to go and get the flu vaccination.